Praemonitus
by Koori
Summary: Starting the Tuesday after the end of To Capture the Silver Dragon, Selana, Ian, Sara, Gabe, and Zack face a new challenge. Update: 7/14 Now that the Witchblade has switched wrists, our heroes must discover why.
1. Animula

Title: Praemonitus  
  
Author: Koori  
  
Started: 5/30/02  
  
Synopsis: Starting the Tuesday after the end of To Capture the Silver Dragon, Selana, Ian, Sara, Gabe, and Zack face a new challenge. Sorry for all you Jake fans, but as it stands right now he will not be in the fic, that however may change.  
  
Note: Does anyone know what the title means?  
  
Hint: refers to line repeated several times during movie  
  
Part One: Animula (yes, I'm using Latin)  
  
Selena pulled off the blue dress she'd been wearing. Reaching up, she grabbed the green mass that was handed to her over the changing screen. She looked over the green garment then pitched it back over the side. There was a sigh from the other side of the screen. Selena smiled then reached up again waiting for the next article of clothing. Something black was placed into her hand. Examining it, she discovered it was a black dress, a very short black dress. She slipped it on, and then walked around the screen.  
  
Ian, who had been ready to leave for over a half hour, sat on Selena's bed. "Finally," he sighed.  
  
"Where did this come from?" Selena asked looking at herself in the mirror. The dress fit life a dream, but the fact it only came down mid-thigh was a bit uncomfortable for her.  
  
"Sara helped me pick it out today," Ian replied. "We thought you might have trouble with you ensemble."  
  
"Why didn't you give me this before I spent an hour trying to find something to wear?"  
  
"Cause it was so much fun to watch you run around your room in your underwear."  
  
Selena threw a pillow at him. Ian caught it, of course, and smiled back at her.  
  
"So, you going to go put on two pounds of makeup and fix your hair?" Ian put the pillow down on the bed.  
  
"Are you saying I need two pounds of makeup?" Selena retorted moving towards the bathroom.  
  
"Well, it can only help," he shrugged.  
  
Selena huffed at him, then stalked into the bathroom and slammed the door. She could hear Ian move towards the door, and she decided to play a little joke on him. Beginning to make sobbing sounds, she discovered it incredible hard not to bust up laughing. She miraculously managed to keep it sounding like she was crying, though she had no idea how.  
  
"Selena?" Ian said knocking on the door. "I am sorry. You told me you wanted me to act more human, I was only trying to pick on you. I didn't mean for you to take me seriously Come on, open put."  
  
Selena, still fake sobbing, grabbed the sprits bottle on the sink. She flung open the door, and got him with water right in the face. Ian stared at her indignantly for a moment, and then started laughing. Selena finally was able to laugh herself.  
  
"I'll meet you downstairs," Ian said shaking his head and moving to the bedroom door.  
  
  
  
Ian led Selena into the restaurant. Sara sat at a table near a corner with her partner, Zack Locke. Selena smiled nervously at the pair. Zack was handsome, to say the least. His red hair was cut short, almost in a military style, and he had a smile to stop traffic. She'd been in immediate lust the first time she'd seen him. She was suddenly reminded of the shortness of her dress when she felt a bit of a draft. Looking from Sara to Ian, she tried to figure out which one of them had decided to torture her like this. Maybe it was encouragement to get out of the dress faster. Oh, she thought, get your mind out of the gutter. You barely know the guy. Zack stood as they neared the table. He pulled Selena's chair out for her and she sat thankful to get her weight off her feet. She must have picked the least comfortable heels she owned to wear.  
  
"Good evening," Zack said as he sat.  
  
"Good evening," Selena smiled at him.  
  
"You look nice, Lena," Sara said. "Do you like the dress?" Selena couldn't miss the look of conspiracy Sara gave Ian. He grinned back at the Wielder.  
  
"Its short," Selena replied.  
  
"Yes, it is," Zack mumbled.  
  
Selena glanced from Zack to Sara to Ian and then back at Sara. Yep, her friends were trying to help. She wasn't sure if she wanted their help if the dress was an example of it. The fabric of the seat cushion was rough against her skin. She reached down to scratch trying to be inconspicuous. Looking around, she tried to pretend she was checking on the security of the place.  
  
"Selena, stop working," Ian said.  
  
"Really?" she grinned at him. "You mean I'm allowed to?"  
  
Ian rolled his eyes, "She's been like this all day."  
  
"Oh," Zack replied. "You think that's bad. Sara and I were at a crime scene and out of nowhere she gets a fit of the giggles."  
  
Selena raised an eyebrow at the woman sitting across from her.  
  
"There was a really funny poster," Sara took a sip of her water. "Where is that waiter?"  
  
  
  
Dinner was not only wonderful, but the company was exquisite. When the waiter brought more wine, Zack started talking about his childhood on a ranch in Montana. He's parents had died in a car accident when he was 4 and so he'd gone to live with his uncle. Selena temporarily wondered if people with strange childhoods attracted each other. Her own childhood had involved hoping from one Army base to another and trying to keep her Father's house while making and leaving friends.  
  
"Ok, I have to ask," Zack said breaking Selena's train of thought. "Where did you learn that move you pulled on the Welliams guy at the Hilton?  
  
"Classified," Selena felt her cheeks turn red.  
  
"You were in the military?" Zack responded. "I was in the Marines for about five years. Never could find another hairstyle I liked."  
  
"Thought it looked familiar," Selena smiled.  
  
"Sara tells me you saved her life," Zack replied.  
  
"Thrice," Sara added.  
  
"Yeah," Selena looked at Ian. "I had some help though."  
  
"And you were involved in the take down of the White Bulls," Zack said.  
  
How much had Sara told him? "I had a hand in it," she nodded. "Did you tell him about the safe house, too, Sara?"  
  
"Nah," Sara replied. "Thought I'd let you do that."  
  
"Lets dance, Sara," Ian suddenly spoke again. He'd been rather quiet since they'd ordered dinner.  
  
Ian led Sara onto the small dance floor. Selena noticed the other restaurant patrons admiring her friends.  
  
"They are a pair," Selena commented.  
  
"Yes they are," Zack replied. "Would you like to get some coffee?"  
  
"Just leave them here?"  
  
"Somehow I don't think they'll care."  
  
"I can't do that," Selena sighed. "I'm in charge of Ian's security."  
  
"Something tells he really doesn't need it," Zack stopped a waitress and borrowed her pen. He scribbled something on a napkin then gave the woman back the pen. Standing he held his hand out to her. "Come on."  
  
Selena smiled. "Ok."  
  
  
  
Selena turned and shut the hall door as quietly as possible. She turned to go up the stairs towards her room. Something moved to the right. Turning, she prepared to face the intruder.  
  
"And just where have you been, missy?" It was Ian.  
  
Selena let out a sigh. "I thought you were an intruder."  
  
"Well?" Ian said. "Where were you?"  
  
"Zack and I went out for coffee."  
  
"That was 8 and a half hours ago," Ian replied. "Awful lot of coffee."  
  
"Ok, so we went to his place after," she started to move past him towards the stairs. "What do you care? I thought you'd be over at Sara's."  
  
"Some bodyguard you are," he said blocking her. "They have to work in the morning and so do we."  
  
"Well, I'm here aren't I?"  
  
"Did you do your night check?"  
  
"I asked Welts do it," she tried to move past him. "He did do it, didn't he?"  
  
"I told him it was your responsibility, not his," Ian looked down at her.  
  
"You're my boss, not my father."  
  
"Its 4am. You have to be up in two and a half hours. You can't protect me if you're asleep on the job."  
  
"Oh, give me a break. You told me to stop working," Selena sighed. " And you're the one that suggested dinner."  
  
"I didn't suggest you sleep with him," Ian retorted stepping out of her way.  
  
"You are so frustrating sometimes," Selena stalked up the stairs and slammed the door when she reached her room. 


	2. Provocator

Chapter 2: Provocator  
  
Selena sat outside the dressing room of the tailor's shop waiting. She'd been waiting for the past ten minutes. How long did it take to get into a new tuxedo? She sighed. He was probably getting back at her for dragging him into that dress shop. She'd needed a new dress and they driven past a shop one afternoon. Its not like he could have just waited in the car. How would she keep an eye on him? Of course, her watching him had become at bit of a running joke over the month since she started seeing Zack. According to Ian, her mind was off in lala land so often that an elephant could jump on him and begin tap dancing and she probably wouldn't notice. Each time he picked on her about it, Selena wanted more and more to test his theory.  
  
The door finally opened and Ian finally came out. Had Selena been standing she would have kicked herself for letting him get away. Not only did he look stunning he was shy to boot. For a second she was in Moscow again carefully watching him from the balcony. Sara will not be trying to hide in the corner with me on Friday. Not that Selena herself would be doing much corner hiding. Vorschlag Industries was hosting a police benefit ball and Zack had told Selena that she would not left alone much. Not only would she be dancing with him, but also several of the guys at the station wanted to meet her. She could only imagine what he and Sara had been telling them. Maybe she should try to get Ian to fake being sick that day, or maybe she should convince Cook to do something to his food so he actually did get sick.  
  
"Well?"  
  
"Oh, you look great," Selena remarked. "You always do."  
  
Ian looked at her funny for a moment before turning to reenter the dressing room. From the view Selena was getting she could only imagine how much time Sara would spend walking behind Ian. Selena's cell phone suddenly started ringing. She pulled it out of her coat pocket.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"So are you still at the tailor's?" Sara asked.  
  
"Yep," Selena replied smiling. "And you're going to have fun Friday."  
  
There was a groan from inside the dressing room while laughter came out of the phone.  
  
"Great," Sara replied. "Well, I just wanted to tell you that Zack and I are going to be a bit late for dinner. New murder case just popped up. One of us will call the mansion before we get done."  
  
"Ok, I'll tell him," Selena said. "Have fun."  
  
"Yeah," Sara sighed. "Later."  
  
"Bye," Selena ended the call and returned the phone to her pocket.  
  
Ian exited the dressing rooming this time carrying the tuxedo. Apparently it took far longer to put it on then to take it off. Yep, Sara was defiantly going to enjoy herself Friday.  
  
"So they're not coming to dinner," he stated handing the tux to the tailor.  
  
"Nope new case just popped up," Selena replied standing. "You know I just realized something."  
  
"Oh boy we're in trouble."  
  
She punched him in the arm.  
  
"Ouch."  
  
"I hope that elephant comes and tap dances on you," she replied ignoring the funny look the tailor was giving them as he put the tux in a bag. "Our relationship must look really strange. You dating Sara and me dating her partner but we're the ones that are living together. Don't you find that odd?"  
  
"When did you start claiming to be normal?" Ian took several overdramatic steps backwards.  
  
Selena could have warned him about the chair. Since it was her duty to protect him she probably should have. But it was so much more fun to watch him fall on his butt. After all, he did deserve it. He sat there staring up at her like she'd just punched him in the gut. She'd come very close to regretting not warning him when he started laughing.  
  
"I guess I deserved that didn't I," he said standing.  
  
"Yes, you did."  
  
  
  
"Well I guess it could be worse," Selena replied taking a sip the last of her wine.  
  
"How so?" Ian finished off a brandy.  
  
"I don't know, but I'm sure it could," Selena yawned. "Well, I'm beat."  
  
"About time you admitted my superiority."  
  
Had she not been so tired she would have argued with him, but as it was she simply glared at him before standing. She might have even said something as she walked out of the study had the alarm not started blaring. She looked at him then they both raced to the monitor room. According to the map one of the inner alarms had been the triggered one. Yet strangely, there was nothing on any of the screens. Even the heat cameras didn't show anything. However, the alarm was still blaring.  
  
"Think they bugged out?" Selena asked.  
  
"They'd have at least seen them leaving," Ian replied as the alarm turned off. "Check the tapes."  
  
Together they reviewed several tapes. All showed nothing. Even the camera by the alarm that triggered showed nothing. This was weird, this was very weird and Selena didn't like it one bit.  
  
  
  
"They went off how many times?" Sara asked Selena the next Saturday afternoon.  
  
"Five times," Selena replied munching on her salad. "The number has been increasing by one every night since Monday when it started. I don't know what the problem is. I even had my security guys for the office come check the equipment just to make sure I hadn't miss anything. I'm really worried, Sara."  
  
"Ian did seem awful irritable last night," Sara said. "I mean he raised his voice at me. He'd never done that before."  
  
"We need to figure out what is going on and fast, otherwise Ian and I will probably both go nuts. Maybe he should stay over at your place just to get him away from the noise. He does have sensitive ears."  
  
"He won't like the idea of running, even if it is just to my place. Have you thought about changing the system?"  
  
"Ian changed the system to a whole house alert last month," Selena put her fork down. "He didn't want to have to wear the security device around just so he'd know if there was an intruder. Personally, I don't see why anyone would even try breaking in."  
  
"I doubt they are actually after anything of value," Sara replied. "They probably just wanted to bug you. You did say it was always an interior alarm that gets triggered, so obviously the person is resourceful enough to get past the rest of them. I hate to bring this up but do you think it might have something to do with the Witchblade?"  
  
"Why would they be coming after it at the mansion?" Selena gasped and her eyes widened. "I need to get back."  
  
  
  
Sara and Selena stared at the map of the mansion and compared it to the locations of the triggered alarms. There was a pattern. A pattern even Ian had missed. Each time an alarm was triggered it was closer to the Witchblade room. Selena wasn't sure why but Ian had left all of the things Irons had collected on the blade there. Well, that wasn't true he had removed one thing. The frozen body of the last wielder had been given a proper burial near Ian's favorite tree. He had suspected that Ms. Bronte would have liked the tree as well.  
  
"So that's it then," Sara said. "They're after the Blade."  
  
"Yep, Ian is defiantly staying with you for a while," Selena replied. "Either that or your moving here."  
  
"It would be easier to guard both her and the objects relating to the Witchblade if they were in the same location," Ian came into the monitor room.  
  
"When did you get back?" Sara asked smiling at him.  
  
Selena looked over Ian's shoulder at Zack, who simply shrugged at her. She asked him to take Ian out for some male bonding, to get him away from the mansion and the worries. They were back way too early. This wasn't good. 


	3. Offerre

Chapter 3: Offerre  
  
Selena watched Ian pace the study. She glanced over at Sara, who shrugged in reply. Selena sighed and started to say something but Zack shook his head and she closed her mouth. Ian continued to pace. Sara stood and went over to him. They spoke softly for several minutes before leaving the study. Selena yawned.  
  
"You should go to bed," Zack said.  
  
She rubbed her eyes before responding. "I know. I just want to do another check then I will."  
  
"I'll come with you."  
  
They walked the halls slowly, checking every room. Selena stopped outside the doors to the Witchblade room. She couldn't take Zack in there. He would ask far to many questions. A hand was placed on her shoulder, startling her.  
  
"Look," he voice was full of wonder and concern.  
  
Selena turned from the door to see two...gray....things. They were standing not two feet away from Zack, staring at him.  
  
"Boss!" One of them yelled at a man that rounded the corner. Selena stared at the man. He looked like Ian. This wasn't possible; they'd gotten rid of the clones.   
  
"Who are you?" Zack asked his hand near his gun.   
  
"Where's the Blade?" the man replied.  
  
"I don't know what you're talking about," Zack took a step back towards Selena.  
  
"Of course you don't," the man said. He nodded at Selena. "But she does. Where is Pezzini?"  
  
"Get out!"   
  
Selena turned to find Ian moving towards them. The two things jumped behind the Ian look alike and the three of them were gone.   
  
"What the hell was that?" Zack looked at Selena.  
  
Selena looked at Ian, "Good question."  
  
"That was non of your concern," Ian replied.   
  
"Of really? Sounded to me like it was after my partner," Zack stepped closer to Ian. "Now what the hell is going on?"  
  
"Its ok, Zack," Selena put her hand on his arm. "Why don't you go home?"  
  
"Like hell I'm going home," Zack got that stubborn Irish look on his face.  
  
"Go home," Selena's voice left no room for argument. "I'll call you in the morning."  
  
"Yeah," Zack replied before heading back the way they'd come.   
  
"So," Selena turned to Ian. "What's going on?"  
  
"I told you it was non of your concern."  
  
"Yeah right, non of my concern. A guy who looks like the guy I'm suppose to be protecting shows up with two..."  
  
"Darklings."  
  
"Darklings and is after said boss' girl, who just happens to be the wielder of a very ancient weapon, and its non of my concern."  
  
"Exactly," he turned and started to walk away.  
  
"Ian Nottingham you had better tell me what the hell is going on before you have to start looking for a new bodyguard," Selena glared at his back.  
  
He stopped. His shoulders slumped before he turned to face her. "What's going on is that Sara's life in now in more danger then it was before, and I don't know if I'll be able to stop it."  
  
"What about the Witchblade?"  
  
"I don't know if the Witchblade works against him."  
  
"Ok, so can you at least tell me who your look alike is?" Selena walked towards him.  
  
"Jackie Estacado."  
  
  
  
Sara looked from Ian to Selena and then back. She glared at them before turning and dropping into a chair.  
  
"I'm not running," she said.  
"We're just looking out for your safety, Sara," Ian moved towards her.   
  
Selena watched them banter back and forth for a while before turning towards the window. She sighed as she stared out at the night sky. Maybe she should have stayed D.C. Her cell ringing ended that train of thought. She glanced at the arguing couple before pulling the phone from her pocket.  
  
"Drake."  
  
"Meet me by the gate in two minutes. Don't you dare bring Nottingham with you."   
  
The line went dead before she could reply. Selena looked Sara and Ian one more time before leaving the room. She checked her gun as she walked towards the main door, hoping she wasn't walking into a trap. When she neared the gate she saw a red sports car, and leaning on the car was Estacado.   
  
"Bella," Estacado practically purred the greeting.  
  
"You want to tell me what's up, Estacado?" she stopped a good five feet from the car. She most certainly didn't like this man.  
  
"Get in the car, we can talk on the way," he opened a door for her. "My boss wants to see you."  
  
"Thanks, but no thanks," she stepped away. "How did you get into the mansion?"  
  
"That was personal, this is business," Estacado walked towards her. "Don Franchetti wants to offer you a job."  
  
"I have a job, answer my question."  
  
"Me being in the mansion has nothing to do with this, this is business," he stopped right in front of her. "Now get in the car."  
  
Selena swallowed. The situation had gone from suspicious to worse while skipping bad, and Ian didn't know where she was. Hell, he probably hadn't even missed her yet. Well, if it was a job offer then Estacado wasn't likely to kill her, unless he was lying. However, from experience Selena knew that Italian mobsters rarely lied about job offerings, unless you'd done something to piss them off. As far as she knew she hadn't pissed them off.   
  
"Alright," Selena got in the car. Estacado closed the door then walked around to the driver's side. When he started the car she looked over at him. She still couldn't get over how much he looked like Ian. "Just so you know, I got out of the business a couple of months ago."  
  
"We know that, that's why Don Franchetti wants you," Estacado pulled the car away from the gate. "You're less likely to draw suspicion."  
  
"Plus it'd be harder to tie me to you if I got caught."  
  
"I was told that you don't get caught," he glanced over at her.   
  
"I haven't been caught yet, if that's what you mean," Selena leaned her head back on the headrest. "Doesn't mean I can't be. No ones perfect."  
  
"True."  
  
"Why are you after Sara?"  
  
He sighed. "She has something that I need." Selena gave him her best impersonation of Sara's raised eyebrow look. "For a moment I thought you were Pezzini. I have to admit I was surprised to find an ex-assassin for hire with a cop. Then again, you're working for Nottingham, so I guess it wasn't that big of a surprise."   
  
They rode in silence the rest of the way to a large house in Queens. Estacado opened the door for Selena and even reached down to help her out. She batted his hand away and got out on her own. Chuckling, he led her into the house, past a set of stairs, and into a small side room. The chair on the other side of the desk was turned away from them. Slowly it turned towards them to reveal a large man puffing away on a cigar.  
  
"Don Franchetti, this is Ms. Selena Drake," Estacado closed the door behind him.   
  
"Bon journo, Ms. Drake," Don Franchetti said.  
  
"Hello, Don Franchetti," Selena smiled nervously. She stopped herself. Come on, girl. You've taken down members of the Russian mob in Moscow; Italians in New York shouldn't scare you. With renew confidence she sat down in the chair on her side of the desk. "Mr. Estacado tells me you have a job for me. Truth is I got out of the business for a reason, and I don't care to get back."  
  
"That's a real shame, Ms. Drake," Franchetti put the cigar down and leaned forward. "If what I've heard of your skills is true, you and Jackie would make a spectacular team."  
  
Selena looked up at Estacado. It was nice to know she wasn't the only one confused. "So what's the job?"  
  
"A branch of the Yakuza is getting too close to my things," Franchetti's voice turned hard. "I was just going to send you in after them, but since you're not part of the family I decided I needed to send Jackie in with you too."  
  
"I thought your little war was over."   
  
"Oh, it was. Until Kenneth Irons turned up dead."  
  
"And now you want me to help solve your problem," she leaned back in the chair and crossed her arms. "Why should I? As I told you messenger boy, I have a job."  
  
"Cause if you don't, then you can rest assured your body will never be found," Franchetti snickered.   
  
"And if I do?"  
  
"Then you're boss won't have to find someone new to watch his back," the mob boss replied. "And you'll be a few hundred thousand dollars richer."  
  
Selena sighed. What have I gotten myself into? "Alright. I'll do it." 


	4. Demens

Chapter 4: Demens  
  
Selena got out of Estacado's car. She turned and bent over to speak to him. "I'll play nice on this Yakuza thing, but next time you're in the mansion I will kill you." She slammed the door and walked to the gate sensor. Minutes later she was finishing up her walk through of the mansion.  
  
"You ran off awful fast."  
  
"Didn't think you'd noticed," she started to walk around Ian towards the stairs.   
  
"So, who's sports car?" he stepped in her path. This was becoming a very annoying trend.  
  
"No one," she tried to step around him.  
  
He grabbed her wrist and pulled her to him. He glared down at her. "Where were you? What is going on?" She'd never seen him look so angry.  
  
"Don Franchetti wants me to do a hit for him." She didn't realize she was holding her breath until he let go of her.  
  
"You told him no right?" He took several steps backwards.  
  
"I wouldn't be standing here if I had. You and I both know that Italian mob bosses don't take no for an answer."  
  
"So who is it against?"  
  
"Some Yakuza," she sat down on the second step of the staircase.  
  
He walked over and sat next to her. "I thought their little turf war was over. I helped arrange the deal."   
  
"Apparently the deal required Irons alive."  
  
"When?"  
  
"Day after tomorrow," she sighed again. "My 'partner' is suppose to call me later with the time."  
  
"Partner?" he looked at her quizzically. "I thought you worked alone."  
  
Selena laughed at him and patted his knee. "The Italians don't trust me that much." She yawned. "Well, boss, I'm going to bed. I advise you do the same."  
  
  
"You did what?" Sara said the next day at lunch.   
  
It was Sara's day off and she and Selena were having a girl's only day. It was turning into Sara complaining about basically everything. Selena was beginning to think that maybe they should've taken Ian's advise and canceled. This most defiantly not the best time she'd had with Sara. Not that she was necessarily having a bad time. Listening to Sara complain all morning had not been on her list of things to do however.   
  
Selena put her fork down and looked from her salad to the Blade wielder, "I did what I had to do, Sara. One does not tell Italians no."  
  
"Well, I don't want to know anymore about it," Sara replied. "I'm a cop, after all."  
  
"I know that. I wasn't planning on telling you anything else."  
  
"I just can't believe you would let yourself get put in that kind of situation."  
  
Selena sighed. "I had little choice. They would have killed me if I hadn't cooperated, and you know it."  
  
"Yes, well," Sara said. "Its still strange that they would want you. I mean, you quit that stuff, didn't you?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
It was Sara's turn to sigh. "I will never understand you people."  
  
"Us people?" Selena stared people feeling just a little hurt.  
  
"Yeah, hit men or hit women."  
  
"Sara," Selena replied. "Just because I got forced into doing one hit, don't lump me with the people who do it for a living."  
  
"You use to do it for a living," Sara said.  
  
"As did your boyfriend."  
  
"That was different. That was Irons."  
  
"And believe it or not, three-fourths of the jobs I pulled were one bad guy wanting to get rid of another," Selena said picking up her fork. "And I know Ian's situation was different, however, when you get down to it someone still ended up dead."  
  
"Can we not talk about work?" Sara attacked her sandwich again.  
  
"Alright," Selena looked down at her plate and stabbed a cherry tomato with her fork.  
  
"Can I ask you a question about Ian?"  
  
"You can ask, I may not necessarily answer, however," Selena looked up at her without raising her head while biting the tomato off her fork.   
  
"Fair enough," Sara sighed again. "Has he gotten a ring?"  
  
Selena nearly chocked. She didn't think Sara had any inkling. Once she recovered she looked up at her friend. "Yes and no."  
  
That got her Sara's patented raised eyebrow look. "Yes and no?"  
  
"Yes he's ordered it, no it has come it yet," Selena replied taking a sip of her water.  
  
"Ordered?" Sara smiled at her with curiosity filled eyes.  
  
"Yes he designed it himself. I really shouldn't be telling you this. He'll want to be a surprise."  
  
"Oh it will be. So have you seen the design?"  
  
"Of course."  
  
Sara gave a little uncharacteristic giggle, and then her face went blank. Selena twisted in her chair to see what she was looking at. A pair of Darklings were sitting at a booth across the restaurant. Estacado spoke to the pair before smiling and nodding towards Sara and Selena. Selena eyed him for a moment before turning back to Sara.  
  
"We'd better get going," she flagged the waiter down for the bill.   
  
The bill arrived to the table and Selena moved. Sara kept looking past her at Estacado. Selena glanced down at the Witchblade. It was lit up like a Las Vegas billboard. Selena snapped her fingers and pointed at the bracelet before moving towards the cash register. She paid the bill and then followed Sara out.  
  
"What was that all about?" Sara asked as they moved down the street towards Selena's car.   
  
"Nothing," Selena replied.  
  
"It is good to see you again, Ms. Drake," Estacado's voice came from behind him.  
  
Selena turned. "Get lost."  
  
Estacado moved even closer. "And it is a pleasure to finally meet you, Miss Pezzini. My name is Jackie Estacado." He held out his hand to Sara.  
  
Selena couldn't miss the glances he kept making towards the Witchblade. Apparently, the blade's reaction to the man was not lost on Sara. She kept looking from the Blade to him. Then again maybe it was the shock at the resemblance between Estacado and Ian.  
  
"Nice to meet you too, Mr. Estacado," Sara finally replied as she reached out her hand to shake his.   
  
The Witchblade didn't seem to like the idea of its Wielder touching him. It reacted violently. The bracelet changed into the gauntlet and something vine like came out of it. It moved towards Estacado who backed into an alley. It suddenly was embedded in the wall near the man's head. More vines came out of the gauntlet and moved towards him. Several Darklings appeared near him. Several vines veered off towards them. Yelling, they ran down the alley.   
  
"Stop it," Estacado said as a vine wrapped itself around his neck.  
  
"I would if I knew how," Sara replied bewildered.   
  
Selena pulled the knife out of her ankle sheath. Looking from Sara to Estacado, she moved to cut the vine that was choking the hit man. Another vine suddenly wrapped around Selena's waist and threw her out into the wall behind Sara. Sighing, Selena resheathed the knife, obviously that wouldn't work. Ian suddenly appeared next to Sara. Reaching out he put his hand over the eye of the Witchblade. It calmed and the vines disappeared. Estacado slumped to the ground. Selena wasn't sure why, but she went to check on him.   
  
"What the hell was that?" he asked.  
  
Selena looked up at Ian and Sara. "Don't ask me. You'd better get out of here."  
  
"Yeah, I'm gone," he stood and walked down the alley in the direction the Darklings had gone.  
  
"What was that?" Sara asked Ian.  
  
"The Witchblade reacting to Estacado," Ian looked down at Selena. "Interesting reaction you had. Why the concern for him?"  
  
"I don't know," she snapped back. "May I just figured Franchetti would have my hide if something happened to him.  
  
"He your partner?"   
  
Selena looked down at the ground. "Yes."  
  
Ian started to pull Sara out of the alley. Over his shoulder he said, "Tell Franchetti that you are out, and if he has a problem with it he can talk to me."  
  
"Oh, like that's just going to make everything go away," Selena walked after them.   
  
Ian stopped and turned. He glared down at her again, another unwelcome trend. "Do it anyway." 


	5. Dubitatio

Chapter 5: Dubitatio  
  
Selena followed Ian into the restaurant on the edge of Little Italy. Everything about this screamed insanity. She'd talked to Estacado when he'd called about the plan and she'd told him to tell his boss she was out. He reminded her what was likely to happen if she pulled out, but she'd told him if Franchetti had a problem he could take it up with Nottingham. Apparently Franchetti did have a problem, because when she'd come into work that morning Ian had told her they were meeting the mob boss for lunch. Looking at the group surrounding the mobster's table, Selena began to wonder if she and Ian would be able to do this themselves.  
  
"Ah, Mr. Nottingham," Franchetti waved his arm to tell them to sit. "And Ms. Drake how nice it is too see you again."  
  
Selena glanced over at Estacado, who stood behind Franchetti. She watched Ian sit down across from the mob boss. They talked about non important things for the most part as a waitress brought out some plates of pasta. Selena tuned most of it out as she study the men around them. There were ten, not counting Estacado and Franchetti. If something did happen it wasn't going to be pretty. She looked over at Estacado again, he was staring at her. She glared at him for a moment and he looked away. It was then she noticed the looks was getting the other men. She glanced down at her wardrobe. Maybe this suit hadn't been a good idea to wear, it showed off her figure a little too well.  
  
"Now, about the deal you forced Selena into, I want it off and for you to leave her alone," Ian sat his fork down. Selena wished she could see the look on his face.   
  
For a second she thought she saw Franchetti shift uncomfortably. "Deals, a deal. I need her help. When its finished she'll be left alone."  
  
"I want her left alone now," Ian leaned forward.   
  
Several of the men around them stepped closer in. Selena knew Ian well enough to know that he would do whatever necessary to get her out of this situation. And she also knew that this plan of his would fail. If they kept up like this they'd both end up dead.   
  
"Mr. Nottingham," Selena placed a hand on his shoulder. "It'll be alright, I'll do it."  
  
Ian shift in his chair to look at her. His eyes narrowed as he glared up at her. He had told her to keep her mouth shut. He sighed then placed his napkin back on the table. "Alright, Franchetti, but your boy had better watch her back."  
  
"I will," Estacado said.  
  
Ian stood and started towards the door. Selena practically had to run to catch up with him.   
  
"Ian," she called as they moved to the car. He stopped but didn't turn around. She walked around him to face him. "We wouldn't have come out of that alive if you'd continued. Two against eleven is pretty long odds even for us."  
  
His shoulders slumped. "I know. I'm just worried about you and about Sara."  
  
"I can take care of myself, and I told Estacado I would kill him the next time I saw him around Sara."  
  
"You'd have to get in line."  
  
Selena smiled. "I told him that too."  
  
  
The next morning, Selena was working out in the mansion's gym when her phone rang. She patted the sweat of her face before answering it.   
  
"Drake," she reached down and grabbed the bottle of water.   
  
"Morning, Bella."  
  
"Estacado," Selena sighed. "What time and where?"  
  
"Gate at 11: 30, wear that black dress," with that he hung up.  
  
Selena stared at the phone. He'd seen the black dress? She'd only worn it to dinner that one time with Ian, Sara and Zack. Estacado must have been watching her even then. She glanced down at her watch. It was 10:35 now. She'd better go talk to Ian before she got ready.  
  
Right on time Estacado's car appeared in front of the gate. Selena checked the two guns in her purse as she walked towards the gate her one inch heeled shoes clicking on the pavement. She stopped as she neared the gate. She looked back to find Ian watching from a window. He nodded at her before turning away. She sighed and walked though the open gate.   
  
Estacado smiled before he opened the door for her. She got in and almost screamed as one of the Darklings hopped onto her lap.   
  
"Hey, babe," It said leering at her.   
  
Estacado reached over and grabbed the thing. "I told you to behave," he flipped the thing towards the back.  
  
Selena glanced at the thing. It appeared to be sulking. She laughed as Estacado put the car in gear and drove off.   
  
"What?" he looked over at her.  
  
"I think he's pouting," she smiled.  
  
Estacado grinned at her. "Well, I can't say that I blame him for wanting attention from a bella like you, but I did tell him to leave you alone."  
  
Selena felt herself blush. "Thanks."  
  
"Do you want to go over the plan again?"  
  
"Yeah, we'd better," Selena said. "I go into the restaurant, and get a table for two. Check to make sure the targets big are there then call you if they are. If they aren't I sit around for a while, then go ahead and order like I got stood up. Eat, pay, and get out."  
  
"And when I come in if he is there?" Estacado stopped the car several block from the restaurant.   
  
"Hide like I'm just a bystander then start taking guys out," she opened the car door.  
  
"Good," he replied. "Hey!"  
  
Selena turned and leaned over to hear what he had to say.   
  
"Be careful."  
  
"You worrying about me?" She grinned at him. He shrugged. She reached over and squeezed his hand. "Thanks, I will be."  
  
He nodded at her. She looked at her hand on his for a moment shacking her head and turning again. She crossed the street, hearing the car pull away as she walked in the direction of restaurant. A minute or so later she was pulling open the door to the small Japanese place. It smelled wonderful. Selena remembered that she hadn't eaten since breakfast. Scanning the room she discovered the seven Yakuza targets weren't there. Well, looks like I get some lunch, she thought.  
  
The host appeared, "How many, miss?"  
  
"Two, and can it be somewhere that I can see the door? I'm expecting someone."  
  
"Of course miss," he led her to a corner table with a view of the door. "Is this alright?"  
  
"Yes," Selena smiled at him as she sat down. "Thank you."  
  
He handed her a menu, "Would you like to order now, or wait?"  
  
"I'll wait," She put the menu on the table.  
  
"I'll send someone to get your drink order then.," with that he walked off.   
  
Selena looked out the window just in time to see Estacado's car drive past. Don't trust me?   
  
"What can I get you to drink miss?" a waitress appeared across the table.   
  
"Oh, a cola for now please."  
  
The woman nodded and headed back towards the kitchen.   
  
Selena sat there sipping at what she'd decided was coke for a good twenty minutes. As time passes she started acting more and more in at bad mood. She was just about to wave the waitress down to order a meal when her targets walked in. Only one problem, there was three more of them then expected. She reached into her purse and grabbed her cell. She called Estacado.  
  
"Jackie," he said when he answered.  
  
"Hey, you stood me up," she said into the phone for the benefit of those who might be listening.  
  
"They show up?"   
  
"Yeah, and to think I could have gone out with three other men," she replied trying to sound angry while hoping he understood her meaning.  
  
"So there is ten of them?"  
  
"Yep."  
  
"I'll be right there."  
  
"Ok, ya jerk." with that Selena hung up the phone. She sighed as huffy as she could muster while trying not laugh. This was kinda fun.  
  
Estacado entered the restaurant not long after. He was firing almost the second he got in the door. Selena scream and jumped under the table hoping that she'd been convincing enough. She pulled the two guns out of her purse and thought about ditching her shoes. However there was probably broken glass and she'd rather have to fight in heels then cut her feet open. She crawled out from underneath the table and shot the guy who was moving towards Estacado. He glanced over and she smiled at him.   
  
It was then that things got nasty. Some more men came streaming in from outside. Selena dove behind a half wall and Estacado joined her seconds later.   
  
"When were you going to tell me about them?" she glared at him.  
  
"I didn't know about them, how could I tell you?" he looked around their little barrier. "They're regrouping. On three, fire."  
  
"Got it."  
  
"One…two…three."  
  
Selena fired around the wall. She exposed to much of her body though and too late she realized she was going to get shot. She brought her arm in front of her face in a vain attempt to protect herself. Instead of the pain of getting shot, she heard a clang of metal. Looking at her arm she saw that somehow the gauntlet of the Witchblade had ended up on her. One of the men charged at her. The sword extended from the gauntlet and Selena filleted him. With the help of the Witchblade the rest of the fight took only a few more minutes.  
  
Estacado started towards her from where he was near the window before he saw the Witchblade on her wrist. "How did you get that?" he backed up.  
  
"I don't know." She watched it go back to bracelet form. She pulled to get it off but discovered it didn't want to. She flipped her arm over to look at the other side of it. The bracelet was all connect, and she couldn't pull it up over her wrist. It wouldn't come off. She looked at the stone again as she moved towards Estacado. It didn't react to him. "It won't come off."  
  
"We'd better get you back to Nottingham and the wielder so you can figure out what's going on," he led the way out of the restaurant and down the street. "At least it didn't attack me."  
  
"That's something." 


	6. Visus

Chapter 6: Visus  
  
"And you have no idea how it happened?" Ian said.  
  
Selena stared at her cell phone for a moment. "Of course I have no idea how it happened. One second I was waiting to get shot the next I was wearing the Witchblade."  
  
"Get shot?"   
  
"Don't start," she replied. "We've got bigger problems."  
  
Selena glanced over at Estacado who was driving with one hand and holding his own cell with the other. He looked worried. Very worried. This couldn't be good at all. As he stopped the car at a light he took his hand off the wheel and rubbed his eyes. Hanging up the phone, he reached over and took Selena's.  
  
"Hey," she said.  
  
Estacado shook his head at her and stomped on the accelerator as the light changed. "Nottingham? I know I was supposed to watch her back. She's okay, but we have a problem. No other then the Witchblade relocating. Yes the Yakuza. Alright, we'll be there in a few minutes." He hung up her phone and handed back to her.  
  
"Well, what's the problem now?"  
  
"The Yakuza, some of them survived"  
  
"You're kidding," Selena sighed looking out the window. "So, I'm assuming you were talking to Franchetti, what does he want us to do about this?"  
  
"Wait," Estacado replied.  
  
Selena sighed again. Everything around her suddenly started swirling. For a moment she thought she was going to be sick, but then it stopped. She saw Ian sitting in the middle lighted area surrounded by black. He was holding Sara, who had a wound in her chest. He picked up the sword near him and pushed the blade through his chest. Selena tried to move towards them, but she couldn't move. Estacado lie not far away. He made a groaning sound similar to those she had heard mortally wounded men make. A figure stepped out of the darkness that surrounded the scene. She had no idea who he was, but he seemed to be the one that had killed Sara and Estacado. His eyes glowed. She was overwhelmed by a sense of spinning again.  
  
"Selena?"   
  
It was over as suddenly as it had started. Estacado was kneeling next to her. They were in front of the mansion. He had come around and opened her door. He had one hand on the side of her face and the other on her knee. She nodded at him slightly and he removed his hands and stood up. She got out of the car shakily.  
  
"You sure you're ok?" he reached out to help her walk.   
  
"Yeah, yeah, let's go inside."  
  
Together they walked through the gate and towards the house. Ian met then at the front door. Her vision came back to her when she saw him, and she almost collapsed again. Estacado caught her, but Ian slipped his arm under her knees and picked her up.  
  
"You sure you didn't get shot?" he asked as he carried her towards the study.  
  
"Yeah, I think the Witchblade is doing this," she rested her head on his shoulder and held the bracelet up to look at it.  
  
"Sara almost had a fit when she discovered it was gone," Ian replied.  
  
"Well, I almost had a fit when I discovered it was on my wrist."  
  
Sara jumped out of her chair when they entered the study. Ian sat Selena down in a chair and told a servant to get her some water. Sara reached out and touched the jewel of the Witchblade. A stabbing pain ran up Selena's arm and through her body. It intensified around her heart and in her head. Through blurry vision, she saw Ian pull Sara away from her.   
  
"Selena? Pezzini?" Estacado's voice sounded as if it were across the room instead of right next to her.   
  
Unlike the vision, this feeling did not go away immediately. It left her slowly, leaving her feeling cold inside. Sara seemed to have recovered faster. She seemed to be describing the event to Ian and Estacado. Trying to listen to what was being said around her, she soon found herself spinning into another vision. Ian and Sara dead. Estacado dieing not far away. The stranger whose eyes glowed. Death. Pain. She looked down to find the hilt of a sword sticking out of her stomach. The vision left with out the spinning this time. She was on her knees sobbing violently held tightly by someone. She regained control of herself and pulled away from her comforter. She had figured it was Ian, instead it was Estacado. He blinked at her momentarily as if he himself was waking from something.   
  
"What did you see?" Ian asked kneeling next to her.   
  
"Death," she replied. "And a stranger, with glowing eyes."  
  
Ian seemed to ponder that for a moment. He reached out carefully and grabbed her upper forearm. Turning her wrist over, he touched her skin right next to the bracelet. He stood and pulled Selena up so she could sit in the chair again. "Sara, come look at this."  
  
Sara came back over to them. "What in the world?" She reached out but then stopped herself. Selena was glad; she most defiantly did not want to go through that again.  
  
"I don't know," Ian replied. "Has it ever done that before?"  
  
"No, never," Sara replied. "I could always take it off, or at least it always looked like I could take it off. I hadn't actually had it off since the Periculm."  
  
Ian nodded. "That's what I thought."  
  
"Well, why is it doing this?" Selena looked from her wrist to her friends and back.   
  
"I don't know," Ian said. "Its reasons are its own."  
  
"Well, that doesn't help us now does it," Selena was getting very frustrated.   
  
"Is it doing this because of me?" Jackie suddenly asked.  
  
"Don't blame yourself, Jackie," Selena replied suddenly wondering how long she'd been thinking of him as a friend. "Its not your fault."  
  
"I still don't see how anyone survived the shoot out," Jackie replied. "Hell, if it wasn't for that thing, we probably wouldn't have survived the shoot out."  
  
"I thought you had a plan," Ian said facing Jackie.  
  
"We did, and we followed it," Jackie stepped closer to the other man. Selena suddenly didn't like this. "The intel was lacking."  
  
"You shouldn't have gone in if you weren't sure."  
  
"We were sure."  
  
Selena tried to stand but found she couldn't. Glancing over at Sara, she mentally pleaded with the woman to do something.  
  
"Ok, boys lets put a lid on the testosterone," Sara said. "Its not helping."  
  
"Thank you," Selena sighed. "Now, Ian you go see if you can find anything about the Witchblade suddenly switching wielders. Jackie, you go back to Franchetti and see if he has any ideas other then waiting. Sara, why don't you contact Gabe to see if he can help Ian. Me, I'm going to go take a very long bath and then a nap." Very slowly she stood.   
  
  
Hours later there was a knock on the door to Selena's bedroom.   
  
"Enter."  
  
Ian came in carrying a tray of food. He placed it down on the table next to the bed, then sat next to her on the edge of the bed. She sat up and he fixed the pillows behind her so she could lean on them. Smiling, she glanced over at the tray. He had brought her soup and grilled cheese.   
  
"Thanks," she reached over and grabbed half of the sandwich.  
  
"Are you okay?" his eyes were very worried. "Estacado said you had an episode in the car as well."  
  
"Yeah, that was when I first saw the vision."  
  
"You want to talk about it?"  
  
She shook her head. "No, I would rather forget it. Have you found anything?"  
  
"No," he looked down for a moment before looking back up at her. "Gabriel is downstairs looking for information online. Zack is here too. Sara called him. He knows something happened to you, but doesn't know what. She told him you were probably just working too hard. He wants to come up and see you."   
  
"What am I going to say to him?" she took another bite of the sandwich. After swallowing she continued, "I'm sure he's seen this on Sara." She held up her wrist. "How am I going to explain that I have it?"  
  
"I think he's a little too concern with you well fare to notice."  
  
She sighed. She seemed to be doing that a lot lately. "Alright, send him up."  
  
Ian left the room. Minutes later Zack came in without knocking.  
  
"Hey, babe," he sat where Ian had been. "How you feel?"  
  
"Better," Selena replied eating some more.  
  
They sat in silence for a long time before Zack got up. "There is something going on, isn't there?"   
  
"No."  
  
"You're a terrible liar, Selena," Zack said walking towards the door. "Call me when you're ready to explain."  
  
He was gone before Selena could respond. Sighing, she reached over and picked up the bowl of soup. She suddenly remembered that she still hadn't eaten. 


End file.
